Heat-resistant bearing material for use in the ball-and-roller bearing is required to have a long rolling contact fatigue life. For this purpose, for example, in JP-B-54-41014, improvement of the characteristic at normal and high temperatures is designed by adding a large amount of element that forms carbides. JP-A-3-253542, focusing on retardation of softening during tempering, proposes a steel in which Si or Mo content is increased. However, when a bearing steel of which the toughness is originally low is added with such element, the toughness is further deteriorated. There has been limitation or various restrictions in use.
Alternatively, JP-A-63-60257 proposes a carburized steel having improved pitting resistant or durability by reducing certain components in a composition, in particular, S and O. However, again in this steel, the stable rolling contact fatigue life has not always been achieved in the intermediate temperature.